House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today marked the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and looked ahead to the annual March for Life, which will take place on Friday:

“The first of our God-given rights is life, and no court, no matter how activist, can discourage us from proclaiming and defending that truth.  Consider how this has become a day when Americans gather in prayer and fellowship, not recrimination, for the culture of life and the protection of the unborn.  We will see this devotion and goodwill on display in our capital city on Friday with the March for Life.  It will give us all a chance to recommit ourselves to the work of those who never wavered, from Nellie Gray to Henry Hyde, who said we must, through word and deed, ‘make it clear once again there is justice for all, even for the tiniest, most defenseless in this, our land.’”

Last year, Boehner had the privilege of becoming the first Speaker in history to address the March for Life.  He talked about how the cause of life and the cause of freedom are inextricably linked and paid tribute to Nellie Gray, the March’s founder, who died last summer:

“These two founding principles, life and liberty, are intertwined.  Together, they form the core of our national character.  They comprise the standard by which the world looks to us.  When we affirm the dignity of life, we affirm our commitment to freedom.  When we don’t affirm life … when life is cheapened or weakened, here or abroad, freedom itself is diminished.  Here on this Mall, many solemn vows have been made in the long fight for freedom.  America is an idea, and our duty is to preserve its blessings, the first and dearest of which is life.

“That is why Nellie Gray marches on.  Let us rise to Nellie’s example and raise our voices together in defense of life.  Let us pray that more of our countrymen, whether you belong to one party or no party, will join this noble cause.”

Here’s the full video of Speaker Boehner’s remarks from last year:
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